Blog Carnival: An Open Love Letter To My Home Country, England.
Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach Teach Abroad Blog Carnival, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. The host for this month is ‘Internationally In Debt‘ here you can find other similar articles. I’ll be posting a new ESL related article to this blog on the 5th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you’d like to contribute to next month’s Blog Carnival, please get in touch with me at dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com, and I’ll let you know how you can start participating!
England, England, where for art thou England?
Oh Britain, there isn’t a day that goes by that I do not have you in my thoughts, you encompass my dreams, my hopes, and my life-long ambitions. Although we are apart I still feel you, you are at the very root of my being.
Leaving you was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do as a fully grown man, and it was not a decision I made lightly. We met when I was so young, and you have been all that I have known, you taught me so much, you were there for my first kiss, you taught me not to maintain eye contact on the tube, or strike up conversations with strangers for that matter and most of all you prepared me to teach English in Taiwan. But the truth is England I needed more.
As I explained before my departure, I need to see other countries. But not because I love you any less, but because I want to ground the love I have for you by exploring other areas in my life. I promise that our hearts shall one day be re-united and it is the wait that will make that reunion ever more strong.
As I sit here wondering about you I reflect upon the things about you I love most, like your indecisive personality which is forever keeping me on my toes. Sometimes England, not often, but sometimes you are the happiest and sunniest thing alive, and I love basking in the glory that you shine. I feel that because you hide this side to you people are all the more appreciative when you reveal it to the world. And then there’s the other side to you, the cold side, the side that most people dislike, the side that most people see, the side that gets those endless complaints. However for all of the cold you give off there is a warm heart at the centre of it and it’s this diverse personality of yours that I think makes you so charming.
Diversity is a huge aspect of your being; you are somebody who accepts many races, cultures, religions with little judgment whilst growing as a very liberal person, I hear you are currently all for the marriage of same sex couples. This truly is a testimony to your accepting personality and it warms my heart to hear you think this way.
Now, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but I have some difficult news, I have been having an affair.
His name is Taiwan.
We met on my travels and he has shown me a kindness that has surpassed all others I have met previously. He has a genuine willingness to help others and doesn’t shy away from having an open personality when meeting new people. He is really into nature and has this adventurous side that I find irresistible. He has shown me that he is liberal about being gay in Taiwan and although not a huge person, the pride he shows in Taiwan culture goes far beyond his borders and unfortunately he has temporarily stolen my heart from you.
I understand that this will be a hard pill to swallow, but please take comfort in the fact that as a percentage you hold around 80% of my heart’s desire, I’m just exploring the fun and exotic side of Taiwan who holds the other 20%. You are still my number one England; you shall always have that space. Only now you have a neighbor to share the confines of my heart with.
Its hard coping with missing holidays whilst abroad so I shall be coming back to see you at Christmas, I count down the days in anticipation.
Forever my love
Dean
